ASSEMBLY LABOR COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4469

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 17, 2022

      The Assembly Labor Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4469 with committee amendments.

      This bill creates a presumption that any injury, illness, or death from any World Trade Center-related health conditions that are certified by the Centers for Disease Control is compensable under workers’ compensation law for public safety workers who participated in the response to the September 11, 2001 attacks and who are being treated or monitored through the World Trade Center Health Program established by the Centers for Disease Control.

      While certain workers may already be covered under other eligibility criteria for workers’ compensation benefits, there remain workers who acted heroically on September 11th, who have become ill or injured but who remain ineligible for workers’ compensation benefits.  Although this bill eliminates any statutes of limitations issues for workers who have not yet filed for their conditions, the bill limits treatment to those individuals who are participating in the World Trade Center Health Program.  This program was established by the Centers for Disease Control, and one of the centers of operations is Rutgers University.  There is no question that the individuals receiving treatment and monitoring in the program participated in the response to September 11th attacks, and this bill provides benefits for these heroes who have endured serious health consequences as a result of that participation.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to: correct a reference from public service worker to public safety worker; add “EMS” regarding a reference to an employer’s maintenance of certain records; and make technical corrections.